Founded in 1960.
Published for the first time at the opening of the Forum Stadtpark. At first it was published three times per year, then four times. Only primary publications are released in manuskripte.

Since 1962, manuskripte has been characterized by a circle of young authors: Wolfgang Bauer, Barbara Frischmuth, Peter Handke, Gunter Falk, Klaus Hoffer, Alfred Kolleritsch. This circle was called Grazer Gruppe.
Since the second issue in 1961, various works of authors of the Wiener Gruppe have been represented in manuskripte: HC Artmann, Konrad Bayer, Gerhard Rühm, Friedrich Achleitner, Oswald Wiener, Ernst Jandl and Friederike Mayröcker, Gert Jonke, and Raoul Hausmann for many years. Heimito von Doderer made an appearance in two issues as well.

Between 1965-68, the publication was affected by the Oswald Wiener novel Die Verbesserung von Mitteleuropa. As a result of this novel, a pornography trial was focused upon Alfred Kolleritsch. At the time, various media representatives as well as German-speaking authors successfully assembled in order to assure the continuing existence of manuskripte.